One Essential Item

“Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge. For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips. That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee. Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge, that I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightiest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?” Proverbs 22:17-19 KJV

There are several items in this passage that I wish to work with during the next few blog posts. We will just take them as they have impacted me as I have sat with this passage and pondered (Biblical meditation) their words.

The first few words, “Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.” The words that rose in me in response were, “We lay ourselves down then rise in strength.” The principle we need to know is the same principle that governs our physical bodies. If we do not lay down to rest, we will run out of strength and become very weak. It is imperative that the human being rest if they are to function.

So it is in the Spirit of God. Unless there is a “bowing” or “laying down” of ourselves in trust, there will be no reception of His knowledge. His words are spirit and truth, and according to 1 Corinthians 2:12-16 only those born of the Spirit can possible know and receive the truth of His heart. So when we “lay ourselves” down, it is an action of trust that allows our interior to receive truth. Yes, it is true humility. It is not a thing of public display that I am speaking of, but what happens in the private life between the LORD and our hearts.

Lest one misunderstand what I am saying, I am not talking about becoming empty. That is never a thing of Spirit. We are not to be empty, but instead to allow Him to become in us all He is through our unique personhood. We lay down our understanding that it can receive truth. When we think we know truth about amatter or a passage, we may not be open to receive what He might have to say about that item. There are probably fuller, broader, deeper, and more thorough understandings of that truth available, which will make it seem as if what we understood before was so shallow that it was almost not truth. I am, of course, speaking from experience.

The action of “bowing down” the heart and life is as essential as the beginning of resting, reception, empowerment and life. It is the way through – whatever we are experiencing, bowing down and allowing Him to instruct His Word through our heart, is the essential beginning.

Lord, we bow ourselves. Thank you for immersing us in your Presence with Your Spirit to rest us and reveal to us your heart and your Word! May it always be so for us – that first we bow to lean and rest, then we rise to become all you have in mind for our moment.